The Argosy — page 71: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

58 ‘“‘Boy’s Love” and *‘Old Man.” ‘T did not mean to be rude this afternoon. I think the sun was in my eyes,” she began, to break the embarrassing silence. ‘‘ You are very good not to bear malice !” | She spoke at random to give herself and him time. She knew that the proposal was to come, but she wanted it to be made with all dignity as befitted a son of the Duke of Poolborough ; and she liked the lad too well not to desire to do everything in her power to set him at his ease, having all a woman’s horror of seeing her lover in a possibly ridiculous position. “Malice!” echoed Swanny, catching at the word as an opening. ‘*T assure you it was with a very different feeling that I came up here to-night. When I met your father, and he asked me to dinner, I was just in the most miserable state of uncertainty, wonder- “What the menu would be at mess, and whether our cook could bear the comparison ?” finished Rose; ‘‘ and eventually you decided to come here and give Martha an opportunity of distinguishing herself.” She was talking nonsense, she knew, but the situation was more trying than she had anticipated. Something in the young man’s face, unusually pale and eager, made her suddenly think of him rather than of herself. “I came here to try and get an opportunity for myself. I thought if you would let me come down into the garden with a “We might cut the lavender that is all going to seed. I have been meaning to do it for a week, and no one would volunteer to help me. Let us go in and get my garden scissors !” No, she could not do him this great wrong! Better a hundred times the old Seamouth life with its daily annoyances, the dreams and memories of the Hill garden, which must be regarded hence- forward as a childish romance; better, even, the presence of Christopher Horton and his wife, than the lifelong remorse of having sacrificed this generous boy to her pique. A few years hence someone would learn to love him for his own sake. Mean- while, come what might, her conscience should be clear towards him. Every scent in the summer garden, every herb and flower had its recollections of her early girlhood, which meant its recollections of Chris Horton; but it was not of him nor of herself that she thought as she looked at the bright eyes and the imploring face of the young man before her. ‘Rose, won’t you give me a moment’s hearing? You must know quite well what I have to say ———” “Forgive me, forgive me! I cannot listen to you,” she answered hurriedly, and the poor young suitor looked more perplexed than ever at the fervour with which she asked his pardon. ‘Then gathering all her courage: ‘‘I will not pretend to misunderstand you ; but COMICDOOKS. ©